President Donald Trump renewed his public criticism of MSNBC on Sunday, targeting anchor Nicolle Wallace following her commentary on his recent summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump’s remarks were shared via Truth Social, where he described Wallace as “a loser, with poor ratings” and predicted that she “will be fired soon,” according to reports from multiple outlets including The New York Post.
The dispute centers on Wallace’s coverage of the Trump-Putin meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, which took place last week. Wallace, host of Deadline: White House, opened her Friday broadcast with sharp commentary about Trump’s conduct during the summit. “Having had the privilege of interviewing Ukrainians, it’s so much to watch our country’s president stand with the person responsible for all that suffering and all that death—it’s heinous,” she said. Wallace further criticized Trump’s approach to governance, claiming that he “doesn’t give a sh*t about democracy, doesn’t care about our allies, [and] doesn’t care about democratic allies’ sovereignty.”
Trump responded forcefully to Wallace’s remarks. On Truth Social, he wrote, “She is a loser, with bad ratings, who was already thrown off of The View. She will be fired soon! MSNBC IS DEAD!” The post was triggered in part by a user sharing an edited image of Wallace with a clown nose, prompting Trump’s immediate reaction.
Wallace, a former White House communications director under President George W. Bush, has been a frequent critic of Trump throughout his presidency and post-presidency. Trump has previously disparaged her on multiple occasions, including labeling her a “third-rate lapdog” in 2020 and mocking her departure from ABC’s The View in 2015. In his May 2020 comments, Trump wrote, “She was thrown off The View like a dog, Zero T.V. Personas. Now Wallace is a 3rd rate lapdog for Fake News MSDNC (Concast). Doesn’t have what it takes!”
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Despite Trump’s ongoing critiques, Wallace’s program continues to attract a substantial audience. Nielsen ratings from August 8, 2025, recorded her 4 p.m. broadcast at 1,063,000 viewers and her 5 p.m. broadcast at 1,034,000 viewers. These figures placed her show ahead of CNN in the same time slots but behind Fox News programs, including The Will Cain Show, which drew 1,953,000 viewers, and The Five, which attracted 3,495,000 viewers.
The White House defended the Alaska summit, describing it as part of broader negotiations aimed at advancing discussions on the conflict in Ukraine. Officials emphasized that the meeting was intended to lay the groundwork for future diplomacy and rejected claims that Trump had acted deferentially toward Putin.
Trump’s exchange with Wallace adds to a long history of combative interactions with MSNBC personalities. The president has previously sparred with Morning Joe hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, both of whom have become outspoken critics despite past visits to Mar-a-Lago. Trump has also publicly criticized late-night host Lawrence O’Donnell, calling for his dismissal in previous years.
Analysts note that Trump’s confrontations with media figures are a consistent element of his political strategy. By responding directly to specific commentators and using social media to amplify his critiques, Trump keeps public attention focused on both his own messaging and the coverage of his activities.
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The confrontation over Wallace’s commentary also reflects ongoing tensions in the media landscape. While some commentators frame Trump’s posts as personal attacks, others see them as part of broader debates over journalistic tone, network coverage, and the role of cable news in shaping political narratives.
As of this writing, MSNBC has not issued a public response to Trump’s latest remarks. Wallace’s program continues to air, maintaining a significant daily audience, and the network has yet to comment on the social media dispute.
The Alaska summit itself remains a point of scrutiny, as international observers and domestic critics alike continue to assess its outcomes. Trump’s ongoing defense of the meeting and his aggressive response to media coverage underscore the high-profile and highly polarized nature of both his foreign policy engagements and his interactions with the press.
Whether this latest exchange will have any impact on Wallace’s career or MSNBC’s programming remains unclear. For now, the dispute serves as a reminder of the combative dynamic between Trump and certain media figures, illustrating how coverage of diplomatic events can quickly become intertwined with domestic political conflict.
